Duty Bound
by angel-eyes8611
Summary: If Sakura had learned anything since she joined ANBU two years ago, it was this: duty is not collective, it is personal. Furthermore, she who defines duty for herself is her own master. When one enigmatic buntaichō manages to shake her beliefs, how will she cope with her ideals being thrown in the dirt? AU. ANBU!fic. {GaaSaku}
1. Prologue - Masquerade

**Prologue | Masquerade**

* * *

_Duty today; repentance tomorrow... Or so is the motto of the ANBU._

To say that Sakura had been surprised the night ANBU recruiters had knocked on her door would be putting it quite mildly. She had been surprised, without a doubt, yet she knew an opportunity when she saw one. ANBU, she decided, was exactly what she needed. The expedient to her goal. The path to her success. What she didn't know was that she, too, was exactly what ANBU needed.

_ANBU - Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai - are those responsible for carrying out assassinations, tracking, surveillance, and missions requiring specially trained ninja. Some ANBU serve as interrogators that probe the minds of enemy ninja to learn information valuable to the village. The shinobi in ANBU are hand-picked by the Kage; chosen for their individual capabilities and special skills. Age, gender, background, or previous rank bear no weight in this decision._

Sakura had taken a night to think over the decision. Of course, being nominated for ANBU didn't really mean anything, even if it was an honor in itself. There were still many trials and tribulations one must go through to truly qualify and become one of elite, after all. But it was the chance to truly prove herself, the chance she had been waiting for.

_Duty, honor, country: those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn._

This is what they told her when she was fully inducted. This concept had been drilled into her head, among many other things, just as the black ink had been driven under the pale skin of her right shoulder. Sakura had trained alongside fifteen other recruits in the beginning; only three had passed to become ANBU, herself included. Neji was another, she had learned over time, while the third remained anonymous. This didn't matter to her though, because she had other, more important things to focus on.

_ANBU usually work in teams formed to the requirements of the mission, ensuring maximum success. They wear their masks even in their own village, for their identity as an ANBU agent is to be known only by the Kage and village elders unless a mission deems otherwise. _

The nightingale singing it's night song; the bird of love, sheltering secret lovers from prying eyes. Sakura had nearly scoffed at the irony as she graciously accepted her porcelain mask, donning it upon her face for the very first time. She had been bestowed with the alias Chie, meaning "blessed with wisdom".

_If an ANBU is mortally wounded in battle, they are required to destroy their bodies to prevent any information from getting into enemy hands. Always hidden, always anonymous, always in the shadows, never to see the light._

If Sakura had learned anything since she joined ANBU two years ago, it was this: duty is not collective, it is personal. Furthermore, she who defines duty for herself is her own master. There were times when Sakura forgot these things, when courage and faith and hope seemed to abandon her. Sometimes she felt like she was drowning for the sake of her duty, her honor, and her country; she need only remind herself that the end would justify the means.

_Members can also leave the organization if they so wish, though everyone knows that you're never truly free. Once ANBU, always ANBU._

Duty may very well be personal as opposed to collective, but there was never such thing as credit; no personal recognition. Again, this did not matter. This was not her goal. Her goal was, above all else, to gain the strength she so desperately sought. Even if no one else knew, she would be content with power. She would not be satisfied without it.

* * *

A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; all rights belong to Kishimoto Masashi.

I know what you guys are thinking. "Angel, what on Earth are you thinking? Starting another story while you have so many others to complete? For shame." Well, I can't help it. I've had this idea in my head for long enough, and I cannot resist the temptation to write it out.

This is a prologue/teaser for my new GaaSaku. So far my stories have portrayed Gaara as a 'good' guy. This story will explore the darker, crazier side of him, though hopefully he won't be particularly out of character. **This story will become M-rated, for violence, gore, and maybe sexual content.**

This story is extremely AU. Think of it like the Invasion of Konoha Arc didn't occur (Suna didn't attack Konoha at the Chuunin Exams) so the Yondaime Kazekage/Gaara's father is still alive. This is why Gaara is ANBU and not Kage. In this regard, he never had the epiphany scene with Naruto. However, Sasuke did leave after the Chuunin Exams. The Kazekage Rescue Arc didn't happen either, meaning Gaara still has Shukaku. The Fourth Shinobi World War Arc has been omitted as well.

**Major Arcs to omit for this AU story**: Invasion of Konoha Arc, Kazekage Rescue Arc, Invasion of Pein Arc, Shinobi World War Arc, etc... A lot will be omitted, but there are still canon events that have taken place. You'll see.

The Rookie 9 generation is around 25 years old. Sasuke has not returned. Sakura is in ANBU, and so is Gaara. And Tsunade is still Hokage.

Hm. I am excited about this story and I'd be thrilled if you follow/favorite/review, but I can't say I will be able to update regularly. So sorry in advance!


	2. Chapter 1 - Promotion

**Chapter One | Promotion  
**

* * *

Leaves crunched silently under the sandal-clad feet of the ANBU operative as she sprinted towards the gates of Konoha. Taking a chakra-enhanced leap over the concrete wall that hindered her, she landed gracefully on the other side before bounding over the shingled rooftops.

Sakura was, decidedly, _not_ in a good mood.

She had been an ANBU agent for two years now, which is a decent amount of time in normal standards, but in ANBU standards she was still considered wet behind the ears. Not that she particularly minded; if she had the patience to handle Naruto and his new team of particularly rowdy genin, she definitely had the patience required to move up the ANBU ranks.

What she could not stand, however, was a taichō who was so damn full of himself that he couldn't pull his head out of his own ass for five minutes to take into consideration what she had to say.

The mission was to track down a drug lord who was said to reside in one of the smaller towns in Fire Country. The man in question had a nasty reputation for being ruthless, using any methods necessary to gain what he wanted. When her squad had arrived at the proper destination, quickly surrounding the perimeter to evaluate the scene, Shoda-taichō (whom she called Jackass-taichō in private, much to her teammates' amusement) decided it would be a great idea to storm right in the drug house after five minutes of surveillance since they had the element of surprise on their side. Sakura had politely offered a different option, where they would stand by and observe for a while longer before taking action. When Shoda-taichō had flat out refused, she had pushed a bit more, stressing the importance of being properly prepared... He had then given her a scathing lecture on insubordination.

Sakura pushed off a rooftop particularly hard at the memory, landing a few houses over.

After her reprimand and reminder of just _who_ the taichō was in this mission, Sakura had bit her tongue and followed her orders dutifully. Thirty-four minutes and two casualties later, her team had retreated. Apparently, and unsurprisingly Sakura might add, the drug lord had hired masked shinobi from another village for protection. Being team medic Sakura had healed the wounded, resisting the urge to rip Shoda-taichō's broken arm completely _off_, and the mission had been officially declared as a failure.

Sakura casually stepped off the edge of a three story building, a small cloud of dust rising from the ground underneath her feet.

After healing her wounded teammates, she had sent them ahead home first to seek medical attention. Not that they were seriously injured, but it was proper protocol. This was why she had returned home alone, particularly later than usual, though she was rather relieved with these facts. If she had to spend one more minute with Jackass-taichō she probably would have done something that he'd report her for. Would punching him across the village count as insubordination?

The nightingale-masked ANBU briskly made her way to the Hokage's office for debriefing, venting out all her frustrations by imagining various ways to maim a certain taichō. When she finally arrived at the Hokage Tower, she stood in front of the two receptionists at the front desk.

"Lemme guess. You're here to see Hokage-sama, right?" Izumo asked with an air of boredom, shuffling some papers around disdainfully.

Sakura nodded.

"Do you have an appointment?" Kotetsu asked more earnestly, shooting his partner a look of disapproval. Izumo merely shrugged at this and continued working.

Sakura shook her head.

"You're here for mission debriefing, I assume?" The chūnin inquired.

Sakura nodded again.

"Ah, well, in that case... You'll have to wait a few minutes. She's currently preoccupied."

Sakura didn't bother nodding this time, and instead took a seat. That was another ANBU regulation: don't speak unless completely necessary. And 'completely necessary' really meant 'unless authorized to do so'. Speaking recklessly could result in accidental leak of information, though she seriously doubted there was anything she knew that was highly classified, that Izumo or Kotetsu would really care to know, much less make public knowledge. But she would abide by proper ANBU etiquette; her superiors were not very lenient about such things.

It wasn't long until she was called into the Hokage's office. Sakura walked in with her hands down at her sides, then bowed at the waist respectfully.

"Hokage-sama." She stated after she straightened herself. Tsunade pulled out a folder and flipped through it before settling on a certain form.

"Chie. Take a seat and we will start your mission debriefing," she replied authoritatively. Sakura did as she was told. Tsunade braced her elbows on the desk and laced her fingers together. "You may begin."

Sakura went into detail about the mission, leaving absolutely nothing out. Despite her decent level of self control, which had been carefully built up over the past two years, she couldn't help the small bitterness that tainted her words when she discussed her confrontation with Jac- _Shoda_-taichō, and the ultimate result of their mission. Tsunade listened carefully without interrupting. When Sakura was finished it was silent.

"What is your professional opinion on why this mission was a failure?" Tsunade asked, watching carefully. Sakura answered swiftly without missing a beat.

"We - the squad, that is - advanced too soon, before we had enough information to safely proceed." The woman supplied with a nod of affirmation. Tsunade observed her before humming.

"And your personal opinion?" The Hokage inquired thoughtfully, and Sakura faltered. Her personal opinion? Well, she knew what her personal opinion was. Anyone would if they knew the situation. Hell, anyone would have the same opinion if they knew the situation. Was this some kind of a test? Sakura eyed her shishō speculatively but received no further elaboration.

"When we arrived at the drug lord's residence, we waited the standard five minutes of surveillance. Next, Shoda-taichō ordered us to advance immediately. I suggested an alternative plan involving further observation of the target, but he declined. Then I stressed the importance of proper preparation, and he..." Sakura set her jaw. "Shoda-taichō gave me a lecture on insubordination. We stormed the place, found out there were other shinobi protecting the place that we did not previously know of, then we retreated with two casualties. In conclusion, it is my personal opinion that the blame falls completely on Shoda-taichō for his haste."

"Is that so?" Tsunade inquired, gaze betraying nothing. Sakura gave a solid nod in reply. The Hokage watched her for a few more moments before flipping the mission folder shut, tossing it to the corner of her desk dismissively with a sigh.

"Your teammates all gave the same report. I'll have to have a talk with Shoda's superiors regarding his conduct. His performance as of late has not been... Up to standards." Tsunade leaned back in her chair. When Sakura didn't so much as move, much less speak, she lifted an eye brow.

"What is it?" She questioned curiously. The sound of her voice seemed to snap Sakura out of her daze, and the ANBU stood at once.

"It's nothing, Hokage-sama," she replied with a low bow, preparing to depart. She was just at the door when Tsunade's voice called out again.

"Sakura." She stopped before her hand could come in contact with the handle and turned around. The blonde woman observed her for a moment. "I have not dismissed you. Sit back down."

"I apologize, Hokage-sama." She assented as she sat back down. Tsunade deliberated her for a moment before smirking.

"Would you like a drink?" The Hokage asked ever so nonchalantly, pulling a large sake bottle out from under her desk.

"I don't know about that, shishō-"

"Oh, come on. For old time's sake." She insisted, and Sakura deliberated for a moment before gripping the bottom of her mask, pulling it up so it rested atop her head to reveal her face. Tsunade flashed her a grin and set out two glasses, filling them both half full. Sakura sipped at hers a little while Tsunade threw her head back to down it in one fell swoop. She sighed contently and filled it once more, leaning back in her chair.

"So tell me about this Shoda-taichō of yours." The Hokage said as she took another generous sip from her glass. Sakura's jaw clenched at the memory and she finished off her drink before speaking.

"He's an arrogant bastard who won't listen to anything that anyone else has to say, despite the dire circumstances. A pigheaded idiot who just can't get over himself, and that is exactly the reason why our mission was deemed a failure." Sakura vented angrily, glaring at nothing in particular. Tsunade nodded in understanding and refilled her student's glass.

"Yes, men do have a tendency to be like that." The Hokage informed wisely. Sakura stared into her drink while silence overtook them, a slight furrow marring her brows. Tsunade noted her pupil's sudden change in demeanor and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Emerald met honey across the table and Sakura pressed her lips in a firm line.

"ANBU are supposed to have the utmost obedience for their superiors. But when my superior proves to be incompetent and not only is the mission a failure because of it, but my teammates are hurt... I just don't know what to do. I know what I _should_ do, but when it really comes down to it I don't know whether to bow my head in silence and follow orders or stand up for what's right for the good of the people involved." She explained, chewing her lip in thought as Tsunade slowly nodded in sympathy.

"Shinobi all over the world have faced this dilemma since the very beginning of structured shinobi forces. I believe a condensed version of what you speak of is how to prioritize missions and comrades. In text books, shinobi are supposed to put the mission above all else; in ANBU, even more so. I can't tell you what to do about this, Sakura, but I can give you some advice. You'll just have to look at the situation at hand and decide what is more important - not to you, but to _everyone_." Tsunade held her gaze steadily as she said this. Sakura pondered for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you for the advice, shishō. It really means a lot to me." She finally said, and Tsunade gave her a smile.

"No problem."

"Now, what I _should_ have done was let Jackass-taichō heal his own damn arm..." Sakura grumbled, and Tsunade chuckled.

"Seriously, how do such dumb people become shinobi in the first place? How do they even make ANBU?" Sakura demanded to no one in particular.

"Cheers to that," Tsunade said with a roll of her eyes, mockingly putting her glass up in the air.

"If we would have waited for just a little while longer, then we would have been able to handle it. If we had gone in knowing what we were up against, there wouldn't have been a problem. If Jackass-taichō had just listened to me in the first place, none of this would have happened. It wasn't even a difficult mission! No offense, shishō, but that mission was child's play," she glanced up apologetically at her, but Tsunade waved it off. "I swear, sometimes I wish that I were team taichō just so that I could tell idiots like him to go bury their heads in the sand while everyone else completes the mission. They certainly would be more useful that way." She ranted indignantly, swirling the contents of her glass with fervor.

"Hm... So you want a higher ranked mission, eh?" Tsunade pondered, and Sakura looked up at her in surprise.

"Would you really let me...?" She ventured with uncertainty.

"Of course. Maybe it's what you need. You've been in ANBU for two years now, perhaps its time to up the stakes and see how you handle it." The Hokage tapped her chin with her fingers contemplatively.

"What do you have in mind?" Sakura inquired with interest, drink long forgotten. Tsunade hummed before shuffling through the documents on her desk. She picked up a scroll with a red tab and skimmed its contents before rolling it up and tossing it to the other side of her desk. She did this with three other mission requests and growled in frustration. When her eyes landed on a scroll consisting of crisp white parchment with an ornamental dark blue ribbon, she carefully picked it up and held it in her hand in deliberation. Her gaze flicked up and met Sakura's, and she was intrigued by the glint there.

"I was going to give this mission to Neji, but here. Take a look." Tsunade said, handing over the scroll. Sakura took it carefully, inwardly flattered that Tsunade thought she was capable of going on one of Neji's missions, and opened it.

_Dear Esteemed Godaime Hokage,_

_Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read this letter. As you very well know, people have been going missing from small towns in the last few months from the countries of both Fire and Wind. The last time we spoke we discussed this very matter at great length, mapping out the areas in which the victims went missing. I have concluded that something suspicious is possibly going on around Rain Country, though just what has yet to be seen. Regardless, it is my only lead. Taking all this into careful consideration, I write to you in hopes of issuing a joint-mission between our nations to resolve this matter as quickly and effectively as possible. Below is an official mission request form filled out with the details, if you so choose to accept my offer._

_Sincerely, Yondaime Kazekage_

_Mission ID #: 738-56-3856_

_Level of classification: A  
_

_Level of danger: B  
_

_Overall mission rank: A_

_Suggested operative rank: ANBU_

_Requested by: Sunagakure_

_Requested of: Konohagakure_

_Mission objective: Gain evidence to confront the Tsuchikage with regarding the recent kidnappings._

_Mission instructions: Go to the town of Kosame in northern Rain Country, approximately 96 kilometers north of Amegakure, and meet with an informant who goes by the name "Kin". Discover where the victims are being held, dead or alive, and bring back physical evidence to link with the criminals._

Sakura looked back up at Tsunade with unbridled astonishment, mouth slightly agape.

"So, what do you think?"

"What do I _think_? Shishō, this mission isn't just about kidnappings. The outcome of this mission will affect relations between Konoha and Suna! Considering Konoha and Suna have always had a rocky relationship to begin with, this mission is of serious importance." Sakura stressed, and Tsunade cocked a blonde brow.

"I am aware of this, Sakura. What's your point?" Sakura opened her mouth to retort before cutting herself off, instead staying silent for a moment to think. Her lips twisted into a concerned frown.

"A mission of utmost importance such as this one... Do you really think I'm capable of handling this? Me?" Sakura finally asked, steadily holding her shishō's gaze in hopes of drawing out her honesty. Tsunade could see the slight anxiety in those emerald depths and met her eyes unflinchingly.

"You are my disciple, Sakura. I _know_ the answer to that question. Do you?" She countered, and Sakura pondered this before an anticipatory smile spread across her features. It wasn't often that Tsunade gave out compliments, but when she did she really meant them.

"When shall I depart?" She asked, words laced with barely repressed excitement.

"After accepting the Kazekage's offer, I received a follow up letter going into further detail. You won't be working alone in this mission, Sakura. You will have a single partner; he is called "Akira". The Kazekage has informed me that this Akira is one of his best. In fact, he is one of the three buntaichō ANBU of Sunagakure." At this Sakura raised her brows, impressed, though she remained silent as Tsunade continued. "You will meet with him tomorrow morning at the city gates, five o'clock sharp."

"Yes, shishō. I'll get my things ready right away." Sakura assured, rising to her feet with a respectful bow. She walked to the door, only to be stopped by Tsunade's voice again.

"Chie." At the sound of her ANBU alias, Sakura turned.

"Hokage-sama?"

"You are dismissed." Tsunade said with a smirk, tossing the mission scroll at her. Sakura's right hand flashed out, catching it with practiced ease, while her left pulled down her mask to conceal her face once more.

"Thank you, shishō."

And with that, the nightingale was gone.

* * *

A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; all rights belong to Kishimoto Masashi.

I've decided to write chapters around 3,000 words, give or take. It's really not long compared to other stories, I admit, but when I try to force myself to write longer chapters it doesn't come out right. I hope you like this chapter, though I know not much has happened yet. Gaara will be in the next chapter, and yes, he is the "Akira" that the Kazekage spoke so highly of, through Tsunade. Akira is his ANBU alias. Also, there is a significant difference between "taichō" and "buntaichō".

Taichō: assigned captain of a mission

Buntaichō: official captain of ANBU

I am dying of heat right now! Seriously, I'm practically melting. It's 81 degrees out right now, and guess what? I live in northern ALASKA. Fucking ridiculous, really. It gets to -60 in the winter and 90 in the summer. Two viscous extremes, completely unmerciful in their wrath. This year we had a week where it snowed on Monday and then we had blazing heat on Friday. The change is that quick. Despite popular belief, Alaska really isn't cold all year long. We don't live in igloos or have penguins (_polar bears_, on the other hand...) We do have electricity and civilized living. Just throwing that out there. ;P

Review? Pretty please, with a... Well. Here is where I would usually say "with a Kazekage on top", but that doesn't really work here, now does it?

Review? Pretty please, with a sexy Akira-buntaichō on top? ;3


	3. Chapter 2 - Impression

**Chapter Two | Impression**

* * *

Sakura departed from the Hokage's office without further ado, closing the door quietly behind herself. She then turned on her heel, headed through the hallway and down a flight of stairs at the very end of the corridor. She stopped when she came to a door, her sandals silent on the concrete floor. She took a subtle glance around, making sure there was no one else in sight, before focusing her chakra in her thumb. Sakura grabbed the door knob to open it then, pressing her glowing digit beneath the handle where she felt an engraved spot, before opening it.

To any casual observer, it would appear as though she had simply gone in through the door - but the moment she had stepped into that next room, the floor had disappeared from beneath her feet and she fell into darkness.

Sakura braced herself and landed in a careful crouch, straightening herself up to observe her surroundings. With no one in sight still, she continued down the dimly lit passageway until she came to a door guarded by an ANBU member. The agent stood at attention when her presence was detected.

"State your name." He ordered with an air of authority, and Sakura bowed her head submissively though she met his gaze from behind their masks.

"Chie." The man pulled out a scroll from his hip pouch, opening it to scan his contents though he focused all other senses on her. He hummed in approval after a moment.

"Your reason for entering ANBU headquarters?"

"I wish to access my personal quarters to prepare for my mission tomorrow morning." She explained, and the masked guard gave a nod.

"Sign your name here," he replied, handing over the scroll from earlier. She took it in her left hand and bit her thumb until a dot of blood oozed out before pressing it to the indicated space, though it was more of a coppery smear rather than anything resembling a signature. After she had relinquished the document, he gave a special knock on the door...

_Shave and a haircut, two pence_.

Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the rather obvious 'secret knock'. Then again, if an enemy somehow did breach the first line of defense to the ANBU headquarters, she doubted they would even consider the stereotypical knock. It was too obvious - and that made sure no one would suspect it.

Be that as it may, it still made her scoff.

The ANBU guard waved her through as the door clicked open, and she entered.

ANBU headquarters were located in a highly classified, highly secured building under the village. It was where ANBU were trained after being fully inducted, having man-made training grounds constructed to emulate the real outdoors. The ROOT section of the building had been cleaned out and reinstated for regular ANBU use, now that the faction had been disbanded. The entrance was in the basement of the Hokage Tower. In order to enter, a registered ANBU member must provide a sample of their chakra to ensure their identity, in case any outsiders attempted to break in. It was better than a blood sample, a finger print, or an eye scan because an enemy couldn't kill an ANBU member and use their body to open the door; once a shinobi died, their chakra died with them. When the sample was fully scanned and accepted, the agent would open the door as if to enter, only to step into a henged hole in the floor. From there, they would present themselves to the guard stationed and be waved through after signing in.

Sakura observed the other ANBU members around, some masked, others unmasked, as she subconsciously healed the cut on her thumb. She recognized the owl-masked ANBU standing in the corner as Sai, who was speaking to another ANBU wearing a cat mask; Yamato. Sakura gave a small wave at her teammates, the former raising his hand uncertainly to return the gesture, while the buntaichō gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

Sakura continued on through the building, passing shops that showcased weapons and gear, equipment and supplies, and even some food stands. In a lot of ways, the ANBU headquarters as a whole was like its own little community underneath Konoha. ANBU agents were even allowed to live there, since each member had their own room for their things. Sakura had spent many nights in her own quarters, too exhausted to make it back to her apartment downtown after a particularly grueling mission, though she tried not to make living there a habit; her parents would probably have a fit if that were the case, and it'd be too much like marrying her job.

Sakura climbed the stairs and passed a few doors, then stood before the one at the end of the hallway. She opened the door and entered her humble abode; a flat consisting of a small kitchen/dining area, a bathroom, a living room that really didn't have much room to live in, and a bedroom with a twin-sized cot in the corner.

Shedding her ANBU gear, she headed over to her bedroom to change her clothes. Her gray vest hit the floor as her gloves were tossed on her bed along with her mask. She pulled the rest of her uniform off until she stood dressed only in a black strapless sports bra and matching boy shorts. Sakura padded over to a trunk at the foot of her bed that held some of her clothes. She pulled out a pair of her civilian clothes when her fingers met a thick piece of paper. Pulling it out, she found upon closer inspection that it was the original and official photo of the old Team Seven. Something painful clenched in her chest as she looked at her young, happy face, Naruto and Sasuke glaring at each other from either side of her, and Kakashi smiling behind them all.

_Sasuke..._

He still hadn't come back, though that wasn't surprising considering Itachi was still out there somewhere. She and Naruto were unsuccessful with any attempts at bringing him back, though they never gave up hope. It was part of the reason she had joined ANBU, after all; if she grew strong enough, then she could finally confront him on equal terms with Naruto by her side. Better yet, if she became a hunter-nin then she could even be sent out to track him down herself.

Sakura stared at the raven-haired boy in the photo and all of a sudden felt very melancholy. She wasn't sure if she actually _loved_ him, as she couldn't quite identify the feeling invoked when she thought of him. When you don't see someone for so many years, especially when you were twelve when you supposedly loved them, it was difficult to say whether or not you truly did love them still. All she knew was that it was unique to anything she had felt before, and it hurt like hell to think about.

Aside from getting Sasuke back, she also wanted the power for herself. Working towards the strength needed to prove herself kept her busy and ready. She would never be left behind again, because she would be capable enough to walk beside them on her own two feet. She would walk ahead of them. Sakura's eyes narrowed at the photo in her hands. No one would ever call her weak. Never again.

Sakura tucked the old photo back inside the trunk, retrieved her clothes, and glanced at the clock, which read 0800. She cursed under her breath as she made her way to the bathroom. She didn't have much time until her next mission if she wanted to be properly prepared and well rested. She took a quick shower, rinsing off the day as she ran over the mission details mentally.

Tomorrow she would depart on a mission that would ultimately define interpersonal relations between three different nations, with a single partner from Suna. She was very impressed with the fact that the Kazekage had sent one of his buntaichō ANBU as opposed to a normal ranking agent like herself. Then again, this mission was pretty precarious. She wondered what her partner would be like; the only buntaichō she had met was Yamato, so she didn't have much of a basis for comparison. Sakura couldn't help but wonder if she would be getting in way over her head, yet she assured herself that she was capable. If her shishō believed she could do it, then she had no doubts. Sakura gripped the shower handle and firmly shut the water off.

Sakura reached beyond the shower curtain to grab her towel, wrapping it firmly around herself as she stepped out. She ran another towel through her hair as she pulled on her pajamas. Once she was dressed again, she took a clean set of her ANBU uniform from her closet and gathered the necessary items she would need for the mission.

Sakura stuffed three standard ANBU hip pouches with kunai, shuriken, senbon, wires, exploding tags, sealing tags, smoke bombs, and a paralysis poison, while she tucked two scrolls into her vest pockets; one that held more supplies sealed inside, and the other for the contract with her summons. She, unlike other ANBU, had a fourth hip pouch that was slightly larger than the other three; it held her medical supplies, from white gauze bandages to antidotes to soldier pills.

Sakura sighed once she had finished her mission prepping and flopped back on her single-sized bed. She turned her head and looked at the digital clock - 0901, it blazed in red - before setting the alarm for 0430. That would give her thirty minutes to get ready and take care of any unfinished business before showing up at the rendezvous point. After all - if you aren't five minutes early, you're late.

* * *

The next morning came all too soon for Sakura. When her alarm went off, beeping relentlessly, she had half a mind to throw it against the wall, roll over, and go back to sleep...

Then she remembered the mission.

Sakura sat up and threw the covers off reluctantly, silencing her alarm clock in the process. She stretched languidly as a satisfied moan left her lips, back cracking a few times, then got to her feet to head to the bathroom. She spent ten minutes in her morning routine, brushing her hair, teeth, and washing her face, before turning back into her bedroom to change.

She slipped on the formfitting black top, the spandex fabric clinging to the skin of her waist up to her neck, though it was sleeveless. A baggy pair of black pants hung from her hips, tucked into her knee-high black sandals. She slid her arms into the equally black gloves, which covered her hands completely and came to rest at her upper arms, with gray arm guards covering protecting the back of her hands. Sakura strapped on her gray vest finally, securing it firmly as she fastened all the clips. Unraveling a roll of white gauze, she wrapped it high around her right thigh over the holster there. She then put on her four hip pouches before placing her tantō on her back, strapped down tightly. Lastly, she placed the porcelain mask upon her face, and at last Haruno Sakura was gone, leaving only Chie in her wake. She swept on a black cloak, hood up, and left the room.

Despite the high security upon entering ANBU headquarters, no one seemed to give a damn if you were leaving. Of course that was to be expected; there wasn't anything suspicious about leaving as opposed to entering - at least in general. Sakura mused on this while she left headquarters, giving the guard on duty a thumbs up as she left the building. His blank reaction did not deter her in the least. She jumped up through the hole and landed on the upper floor, then went through the door that led her to the Hokage Tower. She shut it behind her with finality and turned to leave.

The early morning air fluttered the edges of the cloak around her feet as she briskly made her way to the city gates. No one in the whole village was awake, it seemed, and all was quiet save for the first chirping of birds. The sun wasn't even up yet, she noted. A yawn threatened to overtake her but Sakura repressed the urge, resisting the drowsiness.

When the gates of Konoha came into view, there was a lone figure leaning against the concrete wall. Sakura felt her breath hitch slightly - was _this_ her partner? Sakura's gaze roamed over them with interest, taking in their appearance. They wore a cloak similar to hers draped around their shoulders, concealing their form. Sakura raised a brow at the heels the person wore; her gaze traveled up and saw the ample bosom peeking out from the cloak...

Sakura sighed quietly, her eye twitching slightly. Way to get her hopes up.

"Good morning, Hokage-sama." The other woman turned to face her.

"Chie." Tsunade acknowledged with an incline of her chin. Sakura glanced around only to find that they were alone. "Your partner isn't here yet, but I'm sure he will arrive momentarily." Sakura nodded understandably and they fell into silence. She took a sidelong glace at her shishō, noting the dark circles underneath the woman's eyes. She had still been working when Sakura had left her office that night, and from what she could remember there had been a rather decent size stack of paperwork still on her desk. It appeared Tsunade hadn't gotten much sleep either.

"I wanted to give you this before you left." Tsunade's voice snapped Sakura out of her thoughts. The older woman reached inside her cloak and pulled out a small vial of clear liquid, handing it over to her. Sakura held it up to her face and inspected it with a frown.

"Shishō, what is this? I've never seen it before..."

"It's an antidote." Tsunade informed, and Sakura looked at her curiously, though it couldn't be seen beneath her mask.

"For what?" She asked.

"It's the antidote I created during the Second Shinobi World War to counter Chiyo's famous poison." The Hokage replied carefully, and Sakura frowned.

"But why...?"

"It's just a precaution."

"A precaution for what?" Sakura wondered out loud. Why would she need it in Rain?

"It was a popular poison, widely used by Suna shinobi. The poison itself is notorious for being extremely lethal, even with the smallest amount. I wanted you to have the antidote just in case." Tsunade explained. Sakura pondered the meaning of her words for a moment before it dawned on her; Tsunade wanted Sakura to be prepared in case something confrontational happened between her and a Suna shinobi which, coincidentally, her partner was... Or perhaps it wasn't a coincidence after all.

"Surely you don't think..." Sakura trailed off with uncertainty, but Tsunade looked serious.

"I don't know, Sakura. I honestly do not know. And I'd rather you be prepared," she admitted. "Be careful." Sakura was momentarily surprised by her shishō's obvious concern, and she softened at the display.

"I'll be careful shishō - I promise." She swore, and Tsunade inspected her before nodding.

"Good." She replied dismissively, back to her normal self. Sakura pondered over their conversation.

"Do you really think they still use that poison?" Tsunade opened her mouth to answer when she tensed abruptly. Sakura looked at her in alarm, wondering what had the Hokage so riled up, when she felt suddenly felt a dominating presence envelope her from behind.

"Yes." A deep, raspy voice answered, directly behind Sakura. Her eyes widened, shocked that someone had managed to sneak up on both her and Tsunade so well. She hadn't even known he was there until he spoke. Sakura turned slowly, gooseflesh rising from the close proximity with the powerful stranger, only to come face to face with another cloaked figure. Seafoam eyes stared down at her impassively - _coldy_ - from behind an ANBU mask, which was designed to look like some sort of badger. Sakura attempted to calm herself down from being so caught off guard.

"You must be the Akira-buntaichō that the Kazekage spoke so highly of. I see he was not embellishing your skills." Tsunade said pointedly, and the ANBU immediately broke Sakura's gaze to bow at the waist before the Hokage.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I am the one called Akira. Please forgive me for my poor punctuality." He replied swiftly and professionally, and Tsunade eyed him warily with a nod.

"Very well. Now, there are some issues that need to be addressed before you depart."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The ANBU chorused, Sakura finally gaining back her composure though she kept a steady eye on the man at her side.

"You are to go the town of Kosame in northern Rain Country, approximately 96 kilometers north of Amegakure. I am currently in contact with the informant who goes by the name "Kin", though I am unsure of the date he will approve to meet you. When this matter is finalized, I will send Katsuyu to alert you, Chie."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Sakura accepted with a nod. Tsunade looked between the two of them before continuing.

"Discover where the victims are being held, dead or alive, and bring back physical evidence connecting the crimes to the criminals. That is your objective," she replied, then, casting a final glance at her student, she said, "You are dismissed."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Akira looked at Chie and nodded towards the gates meaningfully. Tsunade shielded her face from the sudden gust of wind and, when she opened her eyes again, the duo were no where in sight.

* * *

A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; all rights belong to Kishimoto Masashi.

Gaara's mask is a badger. The badger symbolizes both aggression and healing, which is apt for this situation. It also may resemble Shukaku, depending on how you look at it. Pretty fitting, ne? ;)

I am currently writing up the outline for this story, generalizing the content of each chapter, and as of yet I am very much behind! But in this case, that's a good thing. That means that I'll get more chapters than originally anticipated with the content I have planned.

Also, I've decided to use military time for this story. It makes more sense, considering they're ANBU. If you don't quite understand it, I'll give you some tips. For instance, 0800 = 8:00. And for ones like 1300, just subtract 12 from the number. 1300 = 1:00.

I wrote this chapter out of procrastination - I REALLY don't want to write this stupid essay for my online class. xI The prompt is "a current event that affects the American Dream". Blech! It's the worst! So, instead I wrote chapter two. Not that you guys are complaining. ;P

Happy Fourth of July! And if you don't celebrate Independence Day, then have a nice day anyway. ;)

Review? ;3


	4. Chapter 3 - Opposition

**Chapter Three | Opposition**

* * *

Silence gnawed at her insides. It hung in the air like the suspended moment before a falling glass shatters on the ground, like a gaping void needing to be filled with sounds, words, _anything_. It was poisonous in it's nothingness, cruelly underscoring how their conversation had ceased to exist. The silence was eerily unnatural, like a dawn devoid of birdsong. It clung to them like a poisonous cloud that at any given moment could choke the life from her. It seeped into Sakura's every pore, like a poison slowly paralyzing her from speech.

They had not spoken since the start of the mission; that had been a whole day ago. They hadn't even spoken the previous evening; they had just stopped for the night, and he had sat up in a tree staring off into the distance to take watch, evidently. Sakura had initially been fine with the quiet, very accustomed to it as an ANBU, but this silence was unsettlingly different.

They weren't silent for the sake of the mission.

No, they were silent because the male bounding the treetops alongside her seemed to physically radiate an intense aura of unapproachability, as if he did not wish to speak to her. Whether or not he was doing this on purpose Sakura wasn't sure, but it made her uneasy regardless.

The previous day, Sakura had realized that he did not eat anything but soldier pills. This was a typical ANBU idiosyncrasy, as there were many cases of shinobi who would go without food for weeks, even months, solely gaining the necessary sustenance from supplements. It made her wonder if this Akira was one of these stubborn ANBU agents, and, if so, how to bring the topic up. As a medic, she knew that while one could very well live on soldier pills for the rest of their life, it had detrimental effects on the brain. This, she thought, may in turn be detrimental to the mission. The little pills just didn't sate the appetite like actual food.

She had been thinking of ways to bring this matter up delicately the last few hours. It would be an odd way to start a conversation, she decided, so she supposed she should start with small talk... But small talk between ANBU on missions was an unsaid taboo.

_You'll just have to look at the situation at hand and decide what is more important__,_ Tsunade's voice entered her mind. Sakura stole a quick glance at the man beside her, not that she had much to observe. She hadn't the faintest clue what he even looked like behind that mask or under that cloak. What she did remember was the seafoam eyes from behind the porcelain the previous morning; his intense gaze, full of intimidation, had made her squirm under scrutiny. A shiver ran down her spine at the memory, though she'd never admit it. Was it some sort of test, perhaps? She shook her head slightly; it did not matter.

Yet she still needed to break the silence...

Sakura looked up at the sun through the canopy of trees, high up above. Judging by its position in the sky, she assumed it was around midday; the perfect time for a short break from their constant travel.

Sakura halted on a branch and dropped down to the forest floor below before pulling out a water bottle to sip at. She assumed he would notice the moment she had stopped, and she was not mistaken as he fell from the trees to land in a crouch beside her. Sakura could feel his questioning gaze on her and she refrained from rolling her eyes at his non-verbal inquiry.

"We've been traveling since morning. I figured it's time for a quick break." She informed, and he stared at her for a moment before getting his own water bottle from his pack. Akira positioned the nozzle under his mask before tipping his head back to take a swig, revealing nothing of his face except part of his chin. He had a slightly square jaw and his skin was very pale, almost as fair as her own, she noted. If Sakura had to guess, he was probably a decent looking guy underneath that mask.

When his hand slipped a familiar capsule up beneath his mask, Sakura scowled. Well, there's no time like the present.

"If the weather stays like this until we get to Rain, then we'll arrive at Kosame in no time." Sakura theorized thoughtfully. She frowned further when Akira completely ignored her statement. The pinkette pursed her lips thoughtfully while she tried to remember something Ino had once told her. _Men like it when you talk about them._

"How are you holding up?" She inquired. Sakura figured that while yes, the topic was about him, it was also completely professional. She was expecting an "I'm fine", or even a damn "Hn" but her efforts were rewarded with absolute silence. The previous statement she had made didn't particularly need a reply, but now she knew he was deliberately ignoring her. She would not give up; she had plenty of experience dealing with arrogant bastards who wouldn't lower themselves to speaking with others. She would persevere - and so she began to think.

Sakura picked up some pine cones and tossed them idly at a nearby tree, each one hitting the bark with a plunk. It could be worse, she thought. It was better than absolute silence.

_Plunk, plunk, plunk... Plunk, plunk, plunk... Plunk, plunk-_

"Stop that." Sakura raised her brows at the irritated comment from her teammate. It appeared he wasn't mute after all. The remaining pine cones fell from her hand into a pile on the forest floor, soon forgotten.

It was time to be blunt, she decided.

"Look, I know about the solider pills-"

"I'm not here to have a chat or make friends with you, I'm here for the mission." He snapped, sounding quite annoyed. Sakura nearly flinched at his tone of voice, but she was too shocked and too angry to care. Have a chat? Make friends? He had better be joking.

"For your information, soldier pills are only meant to replenish one's chakra and nourish the body temporarily. It is not a substitute for actual food, definitely not for a prolonged amount of time. There are many detrimental side effects because of them." Sakura informed matter-of-factly, going into medic-mode. She was not the least bit bothered by the glare he sent her way from under his mask.

"Mind your own business, kunoichi." He sneered, and Sakura's feminist streak cried in outrage at the insinuation. Her fists clenched at her sides subconsciously.

"You _are_ my business. You are my _partner_. And as your partner and a medic I'm warning you, if you continue to only live off soldier pills then you will become a liability to this mission." She said heatedly, anger seeping into her words. This bastard was worse than she previously thought! At least Neji was calm and collected, and only a bit haughty on occasion. This guy was proving to be a complete asshole.

"I can take care of myself. I don't need your coddling." He insisted, and Sakura resisted the urge to pummel him into the ground. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, counting to ten before she opened them again. He was still glaring up at her, almost expectantly. When she said nothing, she was surprised to hear him break the silence first.

"We've wasted enough time here. Let's go." He leaped up into the trees out of sight, not bothering to wait for her. Sakura jumped after him, but not before punching a tree to vent out some of her frustration. The bark shattered underneath her fist, and she felt immense satisfaction from the act. It only took her a moment to catch up with him. As they ran side by side, the silence came back. Sakura didn't much mind it anymore. It was better than the alternative, which included him actually speaking.

There was only one thought that kept coursing through her mind as they traveled the rest of the afternoon. She was really starting to miss Shoda-taichō.

* * *

It was late in the evening when the duo crossed the border of Fire and Rain, and the first place they came to was the town of Korō. Sakura wrinkled her nose. Perhaps the word "town" wasn't very appropriate in this instance, she thought as they walked past a dingy looking house... Shack... _Thing_. The town was very dirty and very tiny, and she felt the need to take a shower from just walking through it. The people eyed them warily and did not hold back their stares of hostility - evidently they did not take too kindly to shinobi or strangers - though neither Sakura nor Akira were bothered. Masks hid their faces and cloaks concealed their bodies entirely, though Sakura held a single senbon between her fingers just in case.

They would have gone around the uninviting town that was Korō, but it was unavoidable if they wished to arrive at their destination in a timely manner. On one side of the town was a great river that ran wide and deep; she had a feeling the people of Korō would not appreciate it if they rented out a boat to get across, only to never return it. On the other side of the town was a large, perilous mountain range, where the famous Ame waterfalls descended; it would be no easy feat to scale those sheer cliffs. Either option was dangerous and would take a considerable amount of time, where as simply passing through Korō - despite the inhospitable villagers - was the only logical and efficient course of action.

And so Sakura briskly made her way through Korō, immensely grateful for her mask and cloak, which acted as protective barriers from the grime and filth. She had half a mind to hold her breath all the while, but resisted the urge.

Suddenly, a few shadowy figures entered her peripheral vision, and her muscles tensed instinctively. The light weight of the senbon in her hand was comforting, but as Sakura fully turned to inspect the figures, she was surprised to find three small children huddling behind a barrel, hiding while they followed. They were just as unsightly as the rest of the inhabitants, their faces smudged with dirt and grime. Their hair was tangled and unkempt, their clothes ragged and soiled, hanging off their tiny frames. There were two boys and one girl, from what Sakura could tell, and it was the latter that looked the most intrigued. The girl peered out at the ANBU with unabashed curiosity, while the two boys - possibly her older brothers - held her back, throwing them suspicious glares.

Sakura immediately felt guilty for her earlier analysis of the town and its people. Yes, it was dirty, and yes, the villagers didn't seem too welcoming, but there were reasons for both these things. Korō was obviously a very poverty-stricken place, where the industrialization of Ame had not yet reached. The people were wary because they probably had every right to be so; who knew the numerous hardships they had to endure to make a daily living in such a place. Sakura felt the shame, and it weighed heavily on her shoulders. It were people like this that made Sakura want to become a medic in the first place; the desire to reach out to those children - to nurture them and care for them if only temporarily - was extremely difficult to ignore... But there was nothing she could do about it, not now.

She stole a glance at Akira, but he did not return the gesture. He didn't seem the least bit disturbed by the surrounding desperation. He instead looked straight ahead, completely unruffled from the things going on around them, as he was completely focused on the objective at hand - just as any exemplary ANBU would be. This was part of the reason he was a distinguished buntaichō while she was an ANBU rookie - the thing that separated him from her, she realized. Sakura wanted power, she longed for that strength so badly, the kind that Akira seemed to radiate with mere presence alone, but would she have to become so jaded to gain it? Would she have to trade her humanity - the very heart of a medic - for it? Sakura swallowed tightly and averted her gaze, steeling herself and shoving those troublesome thoughts away for the time being.

As she shook herself from her daze to fully observe her surroundings, Sakura started to pick up on something odd. While the town of Korō did not have a flourishing population by any means, it was evenly distributed as far as gender and age went. There were men, women, and children of any and all ages. But as Sakura subtly glanced around, she noticed that not a single female was out in the open since they entered the village. It was odd, considering that in extremely downtrodden places both genders usually had to pull equal weight in the community to survive, if not strive. It would be reasonable to see the men of the town eying them suspiciously while the women and children hid indoors, but there were many kids outside as well... Not a single one of them female, aside from the little girl from earlier. Perhaps there was a definite reason for the way her brothers had held her back insistently, and maybe it connected to the lack of females in the area. But why would they be hiding them? Were they afraid of her and Akira? Sakura wondered if Akira had noticed this or not. Probably, though she'd bring it up to him later.

It only took about fifteen minutes to make their way through the winding town, and when they were at the edge of the village they were met with a dark forest. It wasn't a rich, green forest like those found in Fire, rather the trees were scraggly, half dead and desolate, as if beaten down and drowned by the nearly constant rain. It would have creeped her out, if Sakura hadn't been a trained shinobi who had been in worse places. She glanced to her right to observe her partner, deliberating whether or not to engage him in conversation. He had been rather abrasive earlier that afternoon, but Sakura had cooled off since then. She decided that, even though they had gotten off to a rough start, she would try to be at least civil for the mission.

"Should we set up camp soon? We've been traveling since dawn." Sakura said, and Akira looked at her briefly before turning away.

"Fine." He eventually complied, and Sakura was momentarily surprised by the lack of resistance. Maybe he was coming around after all...

"I'll allow it this time, but we'll get up early to make up for lost time." He finished, and Sakura gritted her teeth in annoyance but kept silent.

They set up camp silently that night, not a word spoken between them. As Sakura started a small fire, Akira was off setting up wires around the perimeter that would warn them of any intruders. After doing a quick Katon, the kindling lit up at once and Sakura cupped her hands around her mouth to blow on it, encouraging the little flames to grow. It wasn't long until Akira came back from the initial look out but, instead of sitting across the fire from Sakura, he jumped up in a tree like usual. She was not surprised, nor was she disappointed - she didn't particularly enjoy his company anyway. Though he did make her curious...

Sakura tore open an MRE and dumped the contents out onto the ground in front of her. The entrée package was labeled "chicken with thai sauce", and another packet held sealed white rice. There were also arare rice crackers, a raisin nut mix, and a spork. Sakura eyed it all distastefully and, after much consideration, shoved most of it back in her bag. She ripped open the raisin nut mix and munched on the bland, unsalted peanuts with a few dried up grapes, and had some of the rice crackers before packing the rest up for the night. Her mask rested on the side of her head to completely reveal her face, pink hair, green eyes, and all. If Akira was surprised by her unique coloring, he said nothing of it. Again, Sakura didn't really care.

She lied back on the ground with an arm tucked underneath her head, curled slightly on her side toward the fire for warmth. She loathed sleeping on the ground like this - though she had gotten used to it over the years - and vowed that they would make it to Kosame the next day, even if no breaks were taken. Her gaze flicked up to the lone figure perched up in the tree above, who was eying the surrounding area cautiously. A sudden idea struck her.

"Since you did it last night, I can take watch tonight." Sakura offered, pushing herself up to sit. Akira's eyes never strayed from the trees.

"No."

"What?" She asked, momentarily confused.

"It won't be necessary." He said shortly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Why not? You really should take the night to rest. I don't mind, really, and it'd be better for you." Sakura explained, and she thought she heard a derisive snort from his direction.

"I don't care if you mind or not. I'm taking watch because I have nothing better to do."

"Don't you sleep at all?" Sakura snapped sarcastically, and he finally turned to glare down at her.

"No, actually, I _don't_." He jeered back, and Sakura blinked in confusion. He didn't sleep? What the hell did he mean by that? Everyone needed sleep; it was one of the three basic drives, after all, right after food and sex. She pushed the thought away since she couldn't muster the will to give a damn at the moment.

"Well, have fun then! Good night," _bastard._ She huffed to herself, settling back on the ground, only this time she faced the opposite direction so she didn't have to look at him. Sakura shut her eyes and attempted to force her body into sleep, but the thoughts whirling in her mind along with the discomfort generously provided by the bumpy ground hindered her.

It felt like hours had passed as she tossed and turned restlessly, and the fire had diminished to a pile of simmering embers that cast the surroundings in a faint orange glow. With a sigh, she turned around once more and tried to get comfortable. Right when she thought she could fall asleep, Sakura heard an odd crinkling noise... It sounded suspiciously like a plastic wrapper of some sort. Sakura creaked a single eye open and squinted up at the buntaichō in the tree. She literally gaped at what she saw there.

He was eating. Actually _eating_ - actual_ food_. Some sort of energy bar, from the looks of it, she confirmed upon further inspection. And he had waited until she had "fallen asleep" to eat it... Sakura inwardly cheered in victory (read: Sakura - 1, Akira - 0). Akira may have had an ego the size of the Hokage Monument and then some, but at least he had the sense to listen to reason.

Her curiosity piqued when he gripped the edge of his mask to push it aside, and both her eyes were open at this point. She watched in rapt attention as his face was slowly revealed, inch by inch...

He was a decent looking guy underneath that mask indeed, she concluded, remembering her theory from earlier. But then again, most assholes were. He was pale, that much she had known, and his eyes were still the same deep pools of stone-hard jade that had looked down upon her with derision. Curiously enough, they were lined in jet black. His hair was a dark, dark red - a hue resembling carmine - and was slightly tousled. He definitely had that bedhead look to him, though it was rather flattering on him, she had to admit begrudgingly.

Those thick strands parted to the left to reveal some sort of marking there on his forehead, one that she couldn't quite make out. Sakura squinted, cursing the fire for burning out so quickly, and recognized it as kanji; the kanji for love, to be exact. It struck her as odd, considering the scathingly strict buntaichō did not seem like the person to get a tattoo of the kanji for love, of all things, and on his forehead, of all places. Sakura frowned as she continued to inspect his profile. No, it wasn't a tattoo... It was a _scar_, she realized, which made the skin there a rougher and darker complexion than the rest of his face. How mysterious.

Sakura closed her eyes again to get some sleep, curiosity more than sated for the night, and a quiet and contented sigh left her lips. A sudden drowsiness muddled her thoughts, and as she fell into a dreamless sleep she felt a nagging feeling at the back of her mind, demanding her attention.

And it was that this Akira looked strangely familiar...

* * *

A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; all rights belong to Kishimoto Masashi.

Akira is such an asshole. I love it, hehe. Very fun to write. He'll lighten up later... Maybe. ;P

You may have noticed that I keep calling Gaara by his alias "Akira" instead of his actual name. This is because the story is mostly told from Sakura's POV, and she does not yet know that he is Gaara; she only knows him as Akira so far. This will change very soon, probably next chapter, so don't worry.

What is the thing Sakura was eating, you ask? The Meal, Ready to Eat - commonly known as the MRE - is a self-contained, individual field ration in lightweight packaging bought by the military for its service members for use in combat or other field conditions where organized food facilities are not available. In other words, a packaged meal that is specially made to not weigh much, specially designed for on-the-go soldiers - or in this case, shinobi. ;P

I usually write one chapter ahead of what I post, but I'm a little behind because of my studies. I apologize in advance for a delay.

It's my 17th birthday this next Sunday - no joke! Leave me a review as a birthday present, please? ;3


	5. Chapter 4 - Confrontation

**Chapter Four | Confrontation**

* * *

The next morning, Sakura flinched at the feeling of chilled rain falling on her face.

"Get up." It was an order, not a suggestion. Sakura opened her eyes to look up at the ANBU standing above her, practically towering over her sleeping form, and she met his glare with her own. Upon closer inspection she realized he had already packed his things up while she was still embarrassingly unprepared for departure. She did not back down though, and she was surprised when he was the first to look away. He pivoted on his heel and, without another glance, began to walk towards the trees. Sakura sat up and eyed his back questioningly, and he seemed to read her mind as he spoke once more.

"I told you last night that we'd be departing early this morning to make up for lost time. If you don't hurry up, I'll leave on my own." His voice was slightly muffled by the rain as he made his way toward the forest away from her. Sakura sighed to herself, less than pleased with the rude awakening, and secured her pouches in place with practiced ease as she ran her fingers through her short hair, pulling it up into a short, spiky pony tail, followed by her mask slipping over her face. By the time she was ready Akira was about the size of her thumb in the distance, his back still towards her as he continued to walk away.

"How mature," she grumbled to herself as she jogged to catch up with him. The moment she found herself at his side, however, he immediately picked up his pace and dashed away into the forest. Sakura followed his lead begrudgingly, cloak billowing behind her. When she reached him again she pulled her hood up to shield herself from the rain.

Sakura sneaked a side long glance at her partner as her mind ran through the events of the previous night. At the start of their mission she had known nothing about this Akira-taichō, but only after a single day of interaction she figured she knew enough for her to make a verdict. He was a pompous jerk, pure and simple, and unfortunately seemed to have the skills to back it all up if he truly was one of the three buntaichō of Suna. Sakura's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized him. If that was true, then he could probably pin her down with a kunai poised at her throat before she could even blink. Out of curiosity she wanted to test that theory and spar him but she figured he would take any chance to beat her down in a heart beat. Sakura shifted her gaze away from him; she knew how to pick and choose her battles, and this was not one of them... _Yet._

"At this rate, we'll arrive in Kosame at nightfall." Sakura remarked, the words falling from her mouth without any real forethought.

"Had we not stopped unnecessarily in the first place, we would be there already." Akira retorted with an air of annoyance, and Sakura gritted her teeth.

"We're well ahead of schedule, as you well know." She pointed out, glaring at him.

"It could be better," _if I didn't have you to hold me back_; his words went unspoken between them. That _bastard. _Sakura's hands made fists at her sides as she took a deep breath to calm herself. Sakura - 1, Akira - 1, she thought mirthlessly.

"It could be _worse_." Sakura said warningly as a silent promise. She would make sure that the mission went smoothly and was efficiently completed, yet she would make it hell for him if need be. Akira glared at her for a moment before looking away; she smirked.

"Likewise, kunoichi." He growled in undertone, and she eyed him warily. She sighed quietly to herself as they lapsed into silence once more. The rain continued to come down upon them unrelentingly and Sakura pulled her cloak tighter to herself.

This was going to be a long mission.

* * *

Hours of silence allowed Sakura's thoughts to wander to what her friends back at home were doing.

How was Ino doing in the Interrogation Department? She had been training underneath her father, Morino Ibiki, and Mitarashi Anko for a few years now, and though the work was harsh and difficult, Ino strived under the constant pressure and couldn't bear to be bored for a single day.

Kakashi was mozying about the village with his porn, no doubt, the laziest shinobi she knew - with the exception of a certain pineapple-haired shadow master, that is. To this day Sakura still had to hunt down her wayward ex-sensei after missions since he refused to go to the hospital.

Naruto was working in Shizune's place to learn the duties of becoming a Kage, and he trained his own team of genin on the side.

Shizune ran the hospital herself now, though she was doing some independent projects involving various poisons and toxins.

Hinata worked at the hospital as well, though she specialized in pediatrics.

Sai and Yamato were as well as could be, she supposed, and she worked alongside them occasionally.

The cold rain made Sakura miss the warmth of Konoha terribly, and she sighed with longing. She would much rather be relaxing in the sunlight at training ground three with a book, instead of being pelted by the unrelenting rain with her pompous jerk of a partner.

Sakura was torn out of her thoughts when she picked up on five chakra signatures in the distance, dim yet unwavering and steadily heading closer. She halted on the branch she landed on at once and, when Akira stopped to give her a questioning glance, she held her fist up meaningfully. _Silence._ He took a cursory look around before his attention fell back on her. Sakura quietly withdrew a kunai and grasped it tightly before her other hand circled her wrist with her thumb and forefinger. _Enemy._ She then raised her other hand, extending five fingers to indicate the number of possible adversaries. Akira's eyes narrowed and he gave a slight nod.

They carefully maneuvered themselves until they were well hidden in the trees - though not as much as Sakura would have liked, considering these trees barely had any leaves - waiting for them to pass by. She remained motionless with baited breath as the signatures closed in on them, their proximity rapidly increasing. She stole a glance downward as they passed by, just in time to see what looked like a group of bandits tramping through the forest with one in particular at the forefront. As they grew closer Sakura strained to listen in on their conversation.

"...that place was a steal!" One man snickered, his face pinched up. He rather looked like a shrew, Sakura thought, with his nose all pointy and hands like claws.

"Heh. Those idiots didn't know what hit them." Another gloated arrogantly, patting the battered sword at his hip. Sakura's eyes zeroed in on what looked like fresh blood on the blade.

"Did you see the look on that bitch's face? I'd hit that, if we weren't in such a damn hurry. Oi, Boss! Next town, you gotta let me get some!" The third man grinned sleazily as the others laughed. Sakura glared down in disgust, tempted to spit on him as he walked under her tree.

"Whaddya say, Boss? Where to next?" The fourth grunt asked, following dutifully behind his leader like the spineless scum he was. The leader of the group stuck his chin up.

"Korō's the next town down the road. The place is a shithole, but it'll be an easy target. Ain't much for profit, though we'll hafta lay low for a bit anyway." He decided before snorting to spit on the ground.

Sakura absorbed this information as she perched in the branches of her tree. This group seemed like the stereotypical group of shady bandits, stealing being their main focus whether they had to rape, pillage, and plunder to do it. Though her conscience urged her to at least take out the rapist of the group, Sakura remained level-headed. If she were to engage them, it could take a while to effectively dispose of them entirely. It could get messy and would most likely gain unwanted attention... Sakura tore her gaze away from the criminals; another day, perhaps, but she had her duty to attend to for now. The only silver lining was that there didn't seem to be many women - if any - in Korō. That rapist prick was in for some serious disappointment.

She looked over to Akira to signal their leave, only to find him fixated on the group as they disappeared through the forest toward Korō. Sakura stared at him with weight behind her gaze, imploring him to look up at her - no doubt he felt her eyes on him - but he was seemingly transfixed. Sakura frowned; it didn't seem like Akira to let his attention waver away from the mission objective. He looked over at her from the corner of his eye, almost as if he had heard her thoughts, and Sakura waved her arm. _Come on._ He stared at her, gaze undecipherable... Then he dropped down onto the ground below, disappearing from sight.

Sakura felt her jaw drop in shock at his actions. What the hell was he doing? Without further thought, she too dropped down in hot pursuit of her AWOL partner.

"Akira!" She hissed silently as she scowered the branches. There was no answer. She continued on, pushing through the scraggly foliage as it snagged on her uniform, and inwardly cursed him to hell as she concentrated on his chakra. With a final push through the harsh vegetation, she stumbled upon what appeared to be a clearing.

"Dammit, Akira! What the hell do you think... You're... Doing..." Sakura trailed off with a small gasp as she took in the scene before her.

Her first thought was_ red_. Everywhere she looked was just _red_. The surrounding brambles were red, dripping red. The ground underneath her feet was red, her sandals squelching in red-soaked mud. Her eyes widened as a breeze carried the familiar, coppery scent passed her face.

_Blood..._

"Please! Please don't kill me - it was all his idea! He - he threatened me! Please, please don't! Please, no! No! No! _NOOO!_" Screamed a ragged voice, before it was cut off abruptly. There was a gurgling, choking noise before a c_rack_ reverberated through out the clearing; it was then deathly silent. Sakura's heart beat roared in her ears as she slowly turned to the source of the ceased cries, almost afraid of what she might find...

Akira stood in the middle of it all, the eye of the red hurricane. Blood was splattered everywhere, body parts thrown about carelessly here and there. Sakura couldn't figure out which arms and legs went with which torsos, even if her life depended on it. The rapist of the group laid in a heap at Akira's feet, his neck at an unnatural angle and his face stuck in a horrified grimace; bloodied stumps took place where his limbs used to be. It was quite possibly one of the most gruesome scenes she had ever laid her eyes on, Sakura suddenly realized. And it wasn't at the hands of an enemy - it was her own partner's doing.

Akira turned to face her then, and Sakura snapped out of her dismay to focus on him. It was then that she noticed an odd cloud around him, sifting in the air and glimmering silver around him protectively...

Nausea rolled through the pit of Sakura's stomach as the pieces began to fall into place from the previous night. She carefully walked up to Akira, yet with a steady determination, until she stood right before him. Sea-foam eyes bore into hers but she didn't dare back down. Challenging _this_ man was a death wish, she knew, yet total submittance would earn her nothing. In a wave of courage, Sakura reached up quickly and tore his mask away to reveal his face once more - crimson hair, jet-lined eyes, love scar and all. His face was unmistakeably the same one from her bingo book._  
_

"It's really you..." She whispered in disbelief, her words barely over a whisper. She took a deep breath to control her thundering heart before continuing. "You're _him_... Sabaku no Gaara."

* * *

A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; all rights belong to Kishimoto Masashi.

Sorry for the long wait! I've been super busy since school started. I have the regular school load along with an extra college class I'm taking to become a certified nurse aide, and I also have been starting the whole college/scholarship/loan process. Paperwork is a bitch. =_=

Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! I worked hard on it, even though it is a little shorter than the other chapters thus far... ;P

Akira has now been revealed as the infamous Gaara! How will Sakura react?

Review? ;3


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